Los Angeles Zoo Kikuyu Colobus Monkey Baby Now Has a Name

By Elizabeth Leider

Los Angeles, CA - The Los Angeles Zoo’s baby Kikuyu colobus monkey, born on November 27, 2009, now has a name. After holding a naming contest for the youngster and shifting through many great entries, Zoo staff chose the name Christofur for the furry primate.

The winning entry came from Eileen Hill of Huntington Beach, Calif. She will receive a behind-the-scenes tour of the Zoo.

Found throughout the forests of central Africa, the colobus is one of the most striking primates in the animal kingdom. Adult Kikuyu colobus monkeys have black bodies trimmed with long white mantles. Infant colobus monkeys are born all white and do not start to get their black trim until about three and one half months of age.

Colobus monkeys live in highly cohesive social groups. Thus, the infant is enjoying attention from its father, mother and another adult female. Check out their interactions with their newly named troop member at the colobus exhibit located just past the Zoo’s Mahale Café toward the perimeter road.

In addition to colobus, the Los Angeles Zoo houses a diverse collection of primates. Highlights include mandrills, sifakas, lemurs and tamarins. Within the past decade, vibrant habitats have been completed for gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees and Francois’s langurs. Many primates are threatened by habitat loss and hunting. The Los Angeles Zoo supports primate conservation projects throughout Asia, Africa and South America. The Zoo also actively participates in the Association of Zoo and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Program (SSP) to manage primate populations in zoos.

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways. Admission is $13 for adults and $8 for children ages 2 to 12. The Zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For information, call (323) 644-4200 or visit the L.A. Zoo Web site at www.lazoo.org.

To view Los Angeles Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-7-Los_Angeles_Zoo_&_Botanical_Gardens